Written by Aysia Marotta

MasterCard Presents: Justin Timberlake at The Roseland Ballroom

Back in 2006, when Justin Timberlake released his Timbaland produced hit single, ‘Sexy Back’, I don’t think his fans – or anyone for that matter, fully understood what JT meant when he sang that infamous line. You see, it seems to me that when he released that song, he wanted everyone to know that he wasn’t just bringing sexy back when he released the 2006 smash album Future Sex/Love Sounds. No. He wanted everyone to know that sexy will always be accompanying him, wherever he decides to grace people with his talented presence. Believe me when I tell you that he not only brought sexy back on Sunday in NYC, he brought classy back. He brought it all back hard.

Last week, when MasterCard announced that they were bringing Mr. Timberlake to New York (prior to his summer stadium tour with Jay-Z), people went nuts – including myself. After seeing his Miami stop on the FutureSex/LoveSounds tour years ago, I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed with a Justin Timberlake concert. However, this performance blew me away.

Timberlake, who seems to just don exquisitely fitted suits lately (I ain’t complaining), arrived on stage around 8:30 with an 11-piece band – introduced as the Tennessee Kids – behind him. Greeting the crowd happily and graciously, he then slyly asked how many people were drunk and ready to party – and when the crowd roared in approval, he admitted he was, too.

The show, only with Justin Timberlake and the Tennessee Kids on the bill, lasted an hour and forty minutes, containing 18 songs played with no interruption, only proving one thing: Justin Timberlake is in a league of his own. Opening with ‘Like I Love You’, he suavely sang and danced his way with hits like “Rock Your Body”, “Senorita”, “Lovestoned/I Think She Knows”, and (of course) “Cry Me A River”. Justin even had an acoustic version of “What Goes Around” which was the only part of the night where he wasn’t dancing. He also mixed in some incredible covers of Earth, Wind and Fire’s “Shining Star”, INXS’s “Need You Tonight” and the King of Pop Michael Jackson’s “Shake Your Body”; in which case Timberlake physically did just that, and quite perfectly if I might add.

As he reached the end of his set, he thanked his fans for keeping by his side, even with his long hiatus from music, and spoke of The 20/20 Experience Part II being released September 30th of this year.

JT closed out with his newest singles, “Suit & Tie” (sans Jay-Z) and “Mirrors”. Although the crowd expected him to bring Jay-Z to the event, Timberlake surprised us with Timbaland to end the impeccable set list with their song “Sexyback”.

Justin Timberlake proved last night that his musical comeback would one to remember.
This intimate show, only available to MasterCard members, promised his up and coming summer and recently announced fall world tour (starting on Halloween) to be nothing short of incredible.